Repairing Standard: statutory guidance for private landlords

Annex D4: installations for the supply of other fuels

D.90 Where the space or water heating in a home is supplied by some other fuel than gas or electricity, this part of the guidance applies. The installation for the supply of other fuels must be safe and in good working condition to comply with the Repairing Standard.

D.91 By other fuels, we mean any system for providing space or water heating in the house other than:

• Mains gas;
• Mains electricity; or
• Electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar panels, heat pumps or windmills, generated, stored or used on or for the premises.

D.92 The most common types of other fuels are –

• Oil
• Liquid petroleum gas
• Solid fuel, such as coal or wood, and
• Biomass

D.93 In order to be considered safe the installations must be free of such problems as:

• Wall mounted boilers in danger of detaching;
• Rusted boilers or tanks;
• Leaking tanks or pipes;
• Holes in flues;
• Unsafe or incorrectly positioned guards; or
• A smell of fuel around the boiler.

D.94 In order to be considered in good working condition, the heating system in the property must:

• Be able to heat rooms and water as intended;
• Allow the tenant to control the temperature in the property;
• Be reasonably reliable – the supply is regularly interrupted for significant periods the house will be non-compliant with the Repairing Standard; and
• Meet the minimum overall standard for energy efficiency required in Scottish regulations.

D.95 The fuels listed in paragraph D.90 are all carbon-based fuels, and therefore a carbon monoxide detector is required for any boiler or flue from a boiler which is inside the living accommodation of the property.